Earth moving device



Aug. 18, 1936. E. w. AUSTIN EARTH MOVING DEVICE Filed F'eb. ll, 1935 2 ShetS-Sheet l A TTORNEY.

Aug. 18, 1936. E. w. AUSTIN EARTH MOVING DEVICE Filed Feb. ll, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if INVENTOR.

ls/valer W40 /fv' BY Z Z A TT ORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 18, 1936 y PATENT OFFICE mara MoviNG navos Ellsworth 'W. Austin, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as-

signer to La Plant-Choate Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Application February 11, 1935, SerialNo. 5,896

6 Claims.

My invention relates to earth moving. devices and has particular 'relation to a` device in which a scraper blade or mold board is employed in excavating, grading, lling andthe like.

In a device of the character here contemplated several features, functions and structures are to be desired. It is desirable that wheels be mounted on the mold board in such a manner that the mold board may be raised and supported on the wheels for taking it from one scene of operation to another or for moving it about in the field without draggingthe board on the ground.-

It is furthermore desirable that power means be provided for raising and lowering the wheels and it is desirable that the wheels be independently adjustable so that the mold board may be tilted to one side or the other to make a deeper cut at one side or the other as for instance in crowning a road. VI have found also that it is quite desirare in the down position the mold board is supported in practically horizontal position and yet such that, with the same adjustment of the mechanism and the mold board in contact with a scraper having the above outlined desirable features, functions and structures.

Another object of the inventionois to provide an earth moving device of the scraper type in which wheels are adjustably mounted upon the scraper so that if desired .the scraper may be carried by the wheels. "f

Another object of my invention is to provide an earth mover of large capacity and correspondingly of considerable ruggedness.

Another object of ymy invention is to provide an earth mover in which the' operating machinery is in an unobtrusive and protected position.

lAnother object of my invention is to provide, in a structure of the above character, mounting means for the jacks or other wheel actuating 45 power means such that the jacks are not directly subject to shocks from the wheels or mold board as is the casein the devices known to the art.

An additional object of my invention is to provide an earth mover which is tlltable about a 1ongitudinal axis primarily for use in grading.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an earth moving device which is operable by power means for adjustment of 'the parts thereof'.

Other and further features and objects of my u invention will be moreapparent Vto those skilled able to provide means such that when the wheelsA the ground as in making a cut, one wheel will roll in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specification, wherein is disclosed an exemplary embodiment of the invention, with theunderstandlng, however, that such changes may be made therein as 5 fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in perspective of a device 10 constructed according to one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a rear view in perspective of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear view in perspective showing l5 the device with one wheel raised as it appears while making a cut deeper at one end than at the other; and

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of -the device.

A device constructed according to a preferred 20 embodiment of my invention is adapted to be drawn by means of a tractor, truck or other prime mover. Although a self contained driving power means might be employed for driving a device constructed according to my invention, a preferred embodiment of my invention employs a structure so constructed that a tractor, truck or the like is employed for drawing the device.

Referring now to the drawings, any suitable mold board or scraper structure may be employed, but I prefer to employ a curved plate I0, reinforced by a second plate II of shallow U- shape in cross section, with large substantially rectangular end plates I2 and I3 at theends thereof. The purpose of the end plates I2 and I3 35,.

is to reinforce the mold board and to4 restrict and confine the material picked up by the mold board while Ein use. vA heavy beam I4 connects the 1 front ends of the end plates I Z and I3, and braces I6 and I6@ connect the beam I4 with-the upper 40 rear portions of the end plates I2 and I3. A box tongue I1 is engaged to t beam I4 as by means of ,suitable brackets and a gle irons indicated at I 8 and I9 and this structure is preferably welded together for greater rigidity. The box tongue I1 45 extends forwardly and is curved downwardly, as indicated at 2l, and is provided with an opening therethrough adapted to receive hitch means, indicated at 23, for connecting the learth mover with a towing vehicle such as the tractor I5.

The back o f the reinforcing plate II isvprovided with two pairs of upwardly and rearwardly extending lugs 26 with one pair located at each end ofthe upper edge of the'plate. A rocker beam 2,1, preferably rectangular in cross section, 55

extends across the rear of the bowl formed by the plates I8 and'II and ends I2 and I3. Pairs of upstanding `ears or plates 28 and 28a. on the rocker beam form support brackets for jacks 29 and 3 I. The plates 28 and 28a of theprocker beam p are pivotally engaged on lugs 26 by shafts 25.

The outermost of these plates 28a form caps for covering the ends of the rocker beam 21,'and plates 28 and 28a are welded into place on the rocker beam. Rectangular or box-like cradles 32 and 33 are provided and these cylinder cradles have stub shafts or trunnions 35 adapted to be received in bosses 34 and 36 of plates 28 and. 28a. The cylinders of jacks 29 and 3| are closed at one end by integral disc-like closuresv 29a. and 3|. The cylinders are adapted to be closed at the other end by rectangular cylinder heads 31 and 42 of the jacks 29 and 3| are pivotally connected to plates 43v and 44 as by means of clevises 38 and pins 48.

'I'he pulling tractor, shown generally at 49, is provided with a duid supply tank 46 and a pump (not shown) for furnishing fluid under pressure to the jack or jacks of the earth moving device or other vehicle being towed by the tractor. lThe pulling tractor is provided with a suitable control valve (not shown) for controlling the admission of fluid to either end of the jack or jacks and for permitting the escape at the same time of fluid from the other end of the jacks.

It is apparent that ifthe rams 4| and 42 are driven forwardly the-cylinders of the jacks will be driven rearwardly and cause the plates 128 and 28a to be driven rearwardly to rotate the rocker beam 21 to the rear end downwardly. If 'the rams 4| and 42 are drawn into the jack the plates 28 and 28a4 will be drawn forwardly to cause the rocker beam 21 to be rotated on the ears 26 in a forward and upward direction. If it is desired to rotate the rocker beam 21'forwardly and upwardly duid under pressure is introduced into a conduit 48 on the tractor and passes through a flexible conduit 49 into a conduit 8| on the earth moving device. 'Ihe conduit 8| lies within the angle iron brace IBa and the conduit passes Jthrough the plates I3 and to the rear of the bowl where it connects with a conduit 62 e'xtending across the rear. of the bowl. The conduit 52 has connections 53 and 64 which connect with flexible conduits 56 and 81, and bfluid und'er pressu're is introduced into the llacks 29 and 3| through the connections and 59 at the rear of the jacks. At the Sametime the control valve on the tractor permits fluid to be driven from the jacks 29 and 3| .and through the conduits afforded by the connections 6| and 62 at the front of the jacks 29 and 3|. out through the flexible lconduits 83 and 64, into a conduit 6.6 at the rear of the bowl and into a common conduit 61. The conduit 61 connects with the flexible conduit 68 and conduit 69 which leads to the control valve (not shown). When the position of the control valve is reversed the fluid under pressure is introduced into the conduit 69 and at the same time the pressure of uid within the conduit 49 is relieved and a reversal of direction of :dow of fluid occurs to Cause the Huid Then exhaust uid passesto drive the pistons within the jacks 29 and 3| to the rear to cause the rocker beam 21 to rotate upwardly and forwardly. I have thus provided positive means for rotating the rocker beam selectively in one direction or the other as desired 5 by the operator of the towing vehicle.

This movement of the rocker beam 21 is employed to raise and lower the wheels on which the bowl is mounted. The wheels are independ ently mounted on the rear of the plate by lo means of individual platforms, indicated generally at 1| and .12. The platform 1| includes arms. 13 and 14. The platform 12 has arms 13a and 14a respectively. The arms 13 and 14 are connected by a heavy cross brace 16 and the arms 15 l 13a and 14a are connected by a similar cross brace 16a. The arms 13 and 14 are pivotally attached to the rear of the bowl by means of pins 11 which pass through the ends of the arms and through brackets 18 and 19 and 18a and 20 19a. Wheels 8| and 82 are rotatably mounted on the free ends of the arms 13 and 14 and v13a and 14a respectively as by means of heavy bolts 83. Of course any desired wheel construction may be employed but I prefer to utilize heavy 25 wheels constructed to utilize pneumatic tires such as those shown mounted thereon.

Ears 84 and 86 are secured to the lower face of the rocker beam 21, at suitably spaced intervals thereon, as by welding them in place. The 30 ears 84 and 86 have a plurality of openings 81 therethrough near the lower edge thereof. Links 88 and 89 are provided for connecting the ears 84 and 88 with the arms 13 and 14. The links 88 and 89 are connected to the ears 84 and 86 re- 35 spectively by means of pins 9| which are passed through suitable openings in the ends ofthe links and through any of the openings 81 in the ears 84 and 86. vThe lower ends of the links 83 and 89 are connected to brackets 92 and 93 on the arms 13 and 14, by means of pivot pins,94. Similar ears 84a and 86a are placed at the other end of the rocker beam 21 and links 88a and 89a in like manner connect the ears with brackets 92a and 93a on the lever arms 13a and 14a.

It may be readily understood that upward and forward rotation of the rocker beam 21 raises the lever arms 13 and 14 and v13a and 14a to raisey the wheels 8| and 82. 'I'he wheels may be raised well above the bottom of the bowl so that the bowl rests entirely on the cutting edge Illa. In this position when the tractor draws the earth moving device forward, material will be scraped up into the bowl. When the rocker beam 21 is rotated downwardly and rearwardly the wheels 8| and 82 are driven downwardly to raise the bowl from the ground to permit it to be carried about from place to place.

If the pins 9| are in corresponding holes 81 in all of the -ears 84, 86, 84a and 86a rotation of 60 the rocker beam upwardly will cause both wheels vto be raised at the same time and to the same 'if the rocker beam 21 is rotated forwardly and 70 upwardly the wheel 82 will be raisedwhile the wheel 8| remains substantially. at-the same position it previously occupied. 'I'he result is that, as .illustrated-in Figure 3, the right end of the 75 bowl is prevented from digging into the ground, by the wheel 8|. Since the wheel 82 is raised the left end of the bowl, by reason of its own weight, is caused to dig into the ground. Inasmuch as the earth is cleared away from beneath the wheel 82 by forward movement of the earth moving` device this one-sided digging operation is intensified and becomes cumulative, that is the bowl tilts more and more on forward movement 10 thereof. If the operator wants to level oi the bowl he admits just enough fluid to the front ends of the jacks 29 and 3| to drive the wheel 82 downwardly slightly below the level of cutting edge I 0a and, as the earth moving device moves forward, the bowl is leveled but still carries the material which has been scraped up by the cutting edge Ina. This action of the bowl is of material importance as it enables the operator to utilize a corner of the digging edge to make his rst cut into the ground and thus makes the digging operation easier. Furthermore he may employ the earth moving device for making sloping cuts as for instance in crowning a road.

The hydraulic jacks are mounted well above the bowl and are supported partly by the wheels and partly by the bowl in such a position that they do not interferewith digging and carrying material and such that they are out ofthe way where dirt and the like cannot readily reach them. The weight of the jacks is carried by both the wheels and the bowl.

It is apparent that modications of my in-. vention may be made by those skilled in the art.

3" Such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: l. In a wheeled scraper, a bowl, pairs of levers pivotally engaged on the rear of the bowl, wheels rotatably mounted on each pair of levers, a rocker beam also pivotally mounted on the rear of the bowl, power means for rotating the rocker beam, and connecting links one for each of the levers pivotally engaged between the rocking beam and the levers whereby rotation of the rocker beam raises and lowers the wheels.

2. In a wheeled scraper, a bowl, pairs of levers pivotally engaged on the rear of the bowl, wheels rotatably mounted on each pair of levers, a

rocker beam also pivotally mounted on the rear -of the bowl, power means for rotating the rocker beam, anda plurality of connecting means onv the rocker beam for engaging connecting links engaged to thelevers whereby the connecting links 5 may be connected in a plurality of positions to cause differential raising and lowering of the wheels.

3. In a wheeled scraper, a bowl, levers pivotally engaged on the rear of the bowl, wheels rotatably 1o mounted on the levers, a rocker means also -pivotally-mounted on the rear of the bowl, power means for rotating the rocker means, and connecting means pivotally engaged to the rocker means at one end and pivotally engaged to the l5 levers at the other end whereby rotation of the rocker means raises and lowers the wheels.

4. In a wheeled scraper, a bowl, levers pivotally engaged on the rear of the bowl, wheels rotatably mounted on the levers, a rocker beam also pivot- 2o ally mounted on the' rear of the bowl, power means for rotating the rocker beam, connecting links engaged to the rocker beam and the levers, and means on the rocker beam to afford a plurality of engagements for the connecting links to 25 permit diiferential raising and lowering of the y wheels.

5. In a wheeled scraper, a bowl, levers pivotally engaged on the rear of the bowl, wheels rotatably mounted on the levers, a rocker beam also pivot- 30 ally mounted'on the rear of the bowl, connecting means pivotally engaged to the levers at one end and pivotally engaged to the rocking beam at the other end, and means for rotating the rocker beam including a jack pivotally engaged to the 35 rocker beam-and having. the ram thereof pivot-'- ally `engaged to the bowl.

' 6. In a scraper, a scraper bowl, pairs of levers pivotally engaged on the rear of the bowl for ver` tical movement, wheels rotatably mounted on the 40 levers, a rocker beam also pivotally engaged on EriswoRTH W. AUs'rm. 5o 

